Route recommendations - New River Gorge WV and beyond

[Chuck78]

My wife and a few buddies and I are planning on a 4-5 day motorcycle trip in late May, from our homes in central Ohio through the Wayne National Forest area and into West Virginia to go white water rafting at the New River Gorge for one day, and spend the rest of the trip riding fun mountain roads, sightseeing, camping, and hiking. It's a birthday trip for two of us as well I think we'll be taking OH-78 across SE Ohio and then possibly ditching it before the WVa border and maybe linking up to one of the three or so really amazing stretches of road that go through the hills and down to the Ohio River (800, 255, and 536 - never have been that way on motorcycle yet!)

I was hoping some of you might have some highly recommended roads and routes, as well as scenic & hiking spot recommendations. Any suggestions and recommendations are greatly appreciated. Looking to one-up the really great twisties of SouthEastern Ohio since we will be travelling quite a distance.

ALSO - If anyone is planning to ride SouthEast Ohio, the Hocking Hills State Forest area in particular, I have a multitude of routes through that region to share, just ask! I have been meaning to post some up here.

[Chuck78]

It looks to be 5 hours south to get to the tail of the Dragon, which apparently is now 35mph & double yellow lines the whole way, with lots of speed traps - especially on the Tennessee side. Also probably pretty heavily travelled, all of which make it less appealing, but I see you can link up to the Cherohala Skyway south of the Dragon for a desolate 51 mile mountain ridge ride to mile high elevations. This sounds pretty amazing and makes the trip more worth it.

The Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive I have very fond memories of from a childhood trip 25 years ago, but Skyline drive is a heavily travelled tourist road with lots of slow traffic (I recall doing 5mph many times while driving through clouds), wildlife, and it costs $10 for a week pass to enter the area. This makes it a little less appealing, as a motorcycle blogger on the tail of the dragon website reassured me of. The scenery was pretty amazing though.

The same blogger said that in no way did it compare to the Blue Ridge Parkway south of there for riding. The Blue Ridge Parkway is quite a ways away from The New River Gorge area, but we are doing a 4-5 day trip. Keeping it concentrated in the WVa/Tail of the Dragon area wouldn't be a bad thing though.

[Rockgs1000]

I took the trip that way two years ago from Arkansas. you named two of the roads that i enjoyed, the Blue ridge we took from mile marker 0 to 466 i think is the last one. After that four day ordeal which was one of a kind kind of ride. We hung hammocks when it got dark down a side road or in a ditch for the night, then continued on the next morning, We stopped at the Wheels through Time Museum in maggie Valley, NC. after the BlueRidge it went kind of quick we went from the 45mph speed limit to highway speed, Run across the smokeys on 441 ( which is closed due to land slide) and got to the dragon, cherohala skyway, and we even did some of moonshiner 28 which branches off at deals Gap. after that we took a trip north to what is called the Devils Triangle, Now about devils triangle, in my opinion it was much more than the Tail of the Dragon for several reasons, first it isn't as publisized as the dragon, ie we didnt see a cop one nor another bike one. the traffice was low but there were a few dump trucks, The curves are awesome mostly no guard rails and sheer drop offs, several hair pin and switch backs and it brings you right back where you started basically here is a website for that ride. http://www.devilstriangletn.com/ I would have much rather rode the triangle several more time when I only wanted to ride the dragon just once, i have a video of the Triangle going up it let me see if i can find it and i will post it up for you. Let me know if you have any more questions. that is a great area to visit and fun rides to make. As far as hiking i had a good trip going up the Chimney Top in the Smokeys.

[Dogma]

What kind of roads do you prefer? Corner carving mayhem, or sightseeing? WV certainly has both, but those making recommendations will need to know.

[Chuck78]

Trying to get a good mix of both, especially mountain elevations & climbs/carving & mountain views- basically trying to one-up the best twisties/sweepers & scenery that the excellent Hocking Hills & Wayne National Forest regionsof Ohio have, as those are within 45-75 minutes of me.

[Chuck78]

I'm having a lot of trouble finding a really great OR a decent & quick route from US58&VA16 near Mt Rogers & heading NE towards Wytheville/Roanoke to link up to VA311 N & then probably hit the Highland Scenic Highway WV-150 from there at the end of 5-7 hours riding, & then find a camping spot nearby there.

North of there will be exploring the vest of the Alleghanies around 33/250/28(?) & ending on Smoke Hole Rd.

Trying to stay 5-6 hours saddle time per day, but day 1 will be 9 hours, day 2 whitewater rafting & rest.

[Chuck78]

Google Maps' driving time accuracy in mountain twisties??///

Can anyone tell me if Google Maps' driving times are accurate through twisties & mountains??? I wonder if they factor un all of the liw speed hairpins. This would be real nice to know in the planning stages!

[bwringer]

Can anyone tell me if Google Maps' driving times are accurate through twisties & mountains??? I wonder if they factor un all of the liw speed hairpins. This would be real nice to know in the planning stages!

I've found them to be pretty accurate in the mountains and twisties, just conservative. As far as driving time, you'll usually go a bit faster than their estimates.

On long trips, Google doesn't factor in the more frequent gas stops usually needed on motorcycles. Or, of course, sightseeing stops. Or that-was-awesome-turn-around-and-ride-it-again stops.

[Rockgs1000]

you may end up with quite a few of those, THAT WAS AWESOME TURN AROUND LETS DO IT AGAIN stops. I used map quest on my long trip west and the drive times were pretty accurate for a car, with a stop every hour and a half for gas on a bike you are gonna be a little slower on freeways and maybe faster on curvey roads just depends on how you ride.